The present invention relates generally to a temporary addition to a permanent post in a dental implant system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a preparation coping used to accurately prep a permanent post that supports the final prosthesis.
It has become fairly common to replace a missing tooth with a prosthetic tooth attached to a dental implant. The prosthetic tooth preferably has a size, color and shape that mimics the missing natural tooth, thus revealing an aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound artificial tooth.
Most current methods by which the prosthetic tooth and implant are completely integrated into the patient""s mouth require six to ten months or longer because two distinct, time consuming steps are involved. First, the implant is inserted into the jawbone and covered by suturing the overlying gingival tissue. The implant then osseointegrates with the jawbone for a period of about three to six months. Second, the gingival tissue is reopened and a healing abutment is placed onto the implant. The gingiva is sutured again to allow healing around the implant and healing abutment. The gingiva must heal for a period of approximately four to six weeks. When the prosthetic tooth is eventually placed onto the implant, the gingiva easily conforms around the prosthetic tooth and the overall process is complete.
A single-stage dental implant is typically installed through a ridge in the jawbone that is covered by gingival tissue. The dental implant provides an artificial root on which a prosthetic tooth is mounted to replace a missing tooth that formerly emerged from the jawbone. The single-stage implant comprises an anchoring portion for extending into and integrating with the jawbone and an integral gingival section that extends beyond the ridge of the jawbone. Because the gingival section is integral with the anchoring portion, there is no seam in which bacteria may collect to cause infections.
Single stage implants, or xe2x80x9ctransgingivalxe2x80x9d implants, simultaneously promote osseointegration and gingival healing. A lower portion of the transgingival implant integrates with the jawbone and an upper portion of the implant extends through the overlying gingiva such that the gingiva heals therearound. Thus, the four to six week gingival healing period is encompassed in the three to six month osseointegration period. Consequently, the patient is outfitted with a prosthetic tooth in a shorter overall period of time with only one incision into the gingiva being required, reducing the trauma to that dental region and lowering patient costs due to the lower total number of dental procedures.
During the preparation of dental restorations supported on implants embedded in a living jawbone, it is frequently useful to provide a permanent support post connected to the single stage implant. The final prosthesis fits over the support post. To assist in preparing the final prosthesis, a post analog is prepped in the laboratory. It is desirable for the prepped post analog to be identical to the post within the patient""s mouth, however an element for creating these identical pieces and a method for creating such an element does not present exist. Thus, a need exists for a preparation coping to create an accurate permanent support post that will support the final prosthesis.
In accordance with the present invention, an implant comprising an internal bore having an opening at one end of the implant is initially fixed within a patient""s mouth. A support post on which a final artificial prosthesis will be mounted is attached to the implant by allowing a portion of the post to extend into and attach within the bore of the implant. The post generally extends supragingivally from a base at or beneath the gum surface and contains a retention bulb to assist in registering the axial orientation of an impression cap and ensuring proper placement of the final prosthesis. The impression cap is placed over the post to assist in taking an impression of the relevant dental region. The impression cap possesses means to allow the retention bulb to snap onto the impression cap. After the impression material is placed to surround the impression cap, post and implant, the impression material and impression cap are removed. A healing cap is placed on the post and acts as a temporary tooth able to last within the patient""s mouth for several months.
A post analog is attached to the impression cap that is seated within the impression material. A model can be poured about the post analog, impression cap and impression material to replicate the relevant dental region. The plaster model and the post analog are then removed and a preparation coping is installed over the post analog. The preparation coping assists in properly shaping the post within the mouth. Specifically, the preparation coping and the post analog are simultaneously prepped to effect the form, orientation and shape of the final post. The prepped relief coping is then removed from the post analog and placed over the post. Once the relief coping has been prepped, it is essentially a template that is used for preparing the post in the same manner as the prepped post analog. The prepped post will then be able to properly and accurately receive the overlying final prosthesis that was developed from the prepped post analog.